Its not everyday that you get to run in a race for your company, its even less that your run takes place in the remarkable Dubai. But that is exactly what All Things Jabu family member Taryn Vale experienced when she got to take place in the World Airline Road Race, WARR. Here is Taryn’s account of her WARR experience.

I was very fortunate to be given the opportunity to represent Cathay Pacific at this year’s WARR. With all the excitement of seeing Dubai I also had a lot of anticipation for the race. I have participated in a few trail runs this year, including the IMPI Challenge and the Spur Trail Series, and seen my fitness rise, but this would be my first official Road Race.

To appreciate the magnitude of the WARR, you have to look at how it has grown since its inception in 1982 (when it was hosted in San Francisco), where 300 runners represented 30 airlines. Each year it is hosted by a different airline in a different city and featured just over 1000 this year.

Dubai almost feels like the centre of the World, with the amount of air traffic and foot traffic there its a point worth reiterating, you feel like you are in the centre of the World. It was an incredible opportunity to meet so many different people from all walks of life, one which I will cherish for the rest of my life. was incredible to see the amount of people that turned out for the race and I am sure that next year when the 35th WARR takes place in Chicago, USA it will be even bigger.

Oh what about the race itself? Well you have to start with our friends PUMA. I was fortunate that I had the PUMA Ignites’ to race in and thank goodness I did. This being my first proper road race, the nerves were already on edge due to concerns over the humidity and heat as well as the hard tar surface. But the shoes made my whole experience so much more enjoyable and I loved the shape, design and colour. The shoes were light and comfortable, making each stride easier and more simplified. By simplified I mean that the weight of the shoes was minimal and allowed for easier movement and strides. They were a comfortable fit and provided all the support I needed in terms of cushioning, flexibility and durability.

I ran a pretty good run and finished 18th in my age and gender category out of 40 entries and 290th out of 683 in our category. That really doesn’t matter though, the only thing that matters is the experience, the memories and the fun. I cant wait for 2016!